Tag Archives: perfection

Everyone wants to be better at something right? Like most recovering overachievers, I have a complicated relationship with perfection. While I am certain I can become a better version of me with the help of self-help books, seminars, life coaching and spiritual quest, I know for a fact that I can never achieve perfection.

Most therapists, counselors, psychologists will agree that women are multi taskers. While men see facts and ‘the bigger picture’; women are designed to know and work with details so we try to get all the information that we need to be that effective and productive woman.

In the book The Relief of Imperfection written by Joan Webb, she summarizes what women go through just to feel they are growing as making things better.

“Books, magazine and newspaper articles, reality and news shows, commercials, internet pop-ups, websites, stores, doctors, schools, fitness centers and even churches present methods and habits we can and should adopt to look younger and trimmer; be healthier and more energetic, work faster and better at home of in the office. Be more successful; make extra money; maintain consistently satisfying relationships; obtain more education; improve our cooking; time management; home décor; parenting skills; build a bigger, better and more organized house; be a more loving mate; enjoy increased fun and additional exciting vacations; enhance social interaction with neighbors, other moms and colleagues –all while keeping up with technology, avoiding overload, reducing anxiety and stress, developing personally and spiritually, giving generously to the hungry and hurting, and doing all with greater love, patience, joy, self control, peace, persistence, passion and care.”

This is me. I can relate. I do believe there is nothing wrong of achieving such things, the real problem is, I am not designed to accomplish all this – and it’s okay. Even God did not create the world in one snap…he created it slowly in seven days, in a time He think is best!

“Of course, perfectionism has its benefits, especially in work, where it motivates over-achievers to pursue high standards and new visions. Perfectionists are driven to improve and innovate. They are disciplined and detail-oriented; both of which are critical in professions where there is no margin for error…Steve Jobs and Martha Stewart are frequently credited with insisting that their teams strive for perfection.” wrote Amanda Neville in her blog.

It is to my shame that I can be impatient with other people who I think cannot do a great job with the task they are given. I think if I just do it myself it will be perfect or at least better! My colleagues usually say “Let go Lorraine. Let go”. Having that perfectionist attitude in me actually makes me not ‘a better’ person.

“Perfectionists, experts now know, are made and not born, commonly at an early age. They also know that perfectionism is increasing. One reason: Pressure on children to achieve is rampant, because parents now seek much of their status from the performance of their kids. And, by itself, pressure to achieve is perceived by kids as criticism for mistakes; criticism turns out to be implicit in it. Perfectionism, too, is a form of parental control, and parental control of offspring is greater than ever in the new economy and global marketplace, realities that are deeply unsettling to today’s adults.” According to Hara Stroff Morano on her blog in Psychology Today.

I am guilty of this behavior. Oftentimes I expect my husband to be better in some ways. I expect my kids to be excellent in everything they do from having the proper manners to dressing up themselves. I grew up already being a perfectionist. I would stay up late to study to achieve that perfect test score. I guess I had a little bit of obsessive behavior.

The problem of Self help books

Because we have this desire to be better and perfect, we turn to SELF HELP books. You think you are always One book away from a much better you..

My library has all kind of self help books i have bought through the years. I have an array of fitness books how to flatten an ab and build core muscles. Another set of managing your time, how to make friends, being a leader who can influence, how to be a highly effective person, having the wisdom to make the right choices, DIY books, how to understand the mind and behavior of men; how to raise up awesome kids; how to have a dynamic marriage; how to deal with difficult people and how to manage my Bipolar Disorder. And to mention having tons of spiritual books and different versions of the bible! So while I could fill my library with all these books, the fact is: Real change is hard!

Oftentimes, I read several books simultaneously. In reality I hardly have the time to read most of it because I have other million things to do as a mother and part time designer. They end up in my pile of unfinished books I have not been able to get through.

The self help book industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. It fills bookstores and conference rooms. It’s made media celebrities out of people and capitalized wildly off the growing self-consciousness of recent generations. Mark Manson reiterated this in his blog. He shared 4 things about the problem of self help.

1. Self Help Reinforces Perceptions of Inferiority and Shame

Two types of people get hooked on self help material: those who feel something is fundamentally wrong with them and they are willing to try anything to make it better, and those people who think they’re already generally a good person, but they have some problems and blind spots and want to become great people.

2. Self Help Is Often Yet Another Form of Avoidance

George Carlin once joked that self help was a paradox because if someone was actually capable of helping themselves then they wouldn’t need to read a book on helping themselves.

3. Self Help Marketing Creates Unrealistic Expectations

Although theoretically I have no issue with the profit-motive in the self help industry, in practice it causes problems. With the profit-motive, the incentive is not on creating real change but creating the perception of real change.

This can be done with placebos, teaching clients to suppress certain negative feelings or to pump their temporary emotional states. It can be done by gratifying anxious people with more information and neurotics with relaxation techniques. These are all short-term solutions that create the sensation of accomplishment and improvement, but almost always dissipate within a few days or weeks.

4. Self Help is (Usually) Not Scientifically Validated

Here are the self help practices which have been shown in scientific studies to have some validity: meditation or mindfulness, keeping a journal, stating what you’re grateful for each day, being charitable and giving to others.

Here’s what the science is hit and miss on (it usually depends on how or why it is used): Neuro-Linguistic Programming, affirmations, hypnotherapy, getting in touch with your inner child.

Remember the case of James Arthur Ray, the author of ‘The Secret’ a NY Times Best Seller book for months?. Millions bought his book and he became an instant celebrity. He facilitated a program called the “Spiritual Warrior” program. The over achievers crowded into the dark, windowless space and sat in two tight rings around a pit filled with heated stones and this was called “the sweat lodge. Many had spent more than $10,000 to be part of it. He required his devotees to participate into this and they obeyed because they were told that overcoming ‘death’ is overcoming fear in your life. It culminated five days and was promised that this ceremony is the “catalyst for personal transformation. After hours later, several people died.

Our quest of being better or being perfect is addictive. We are not satisfied of what we have and who we are because society tells us that we need to be better because it is the only basis of success. I have to meditate about this myself and not fall into this trap.

Although the bible says “Be perfect because your Father in Heaven is perfect”, we can never ‘play God’. Playing God is trying to control events, people, situation and to make certain that things in our life come out right -or the way we want them too.

It is only through imperfection and accepting our limitations and weaknesses that God can work fully and transform our lives. If we try to conceal our fears of being weak, or denying that we are not better, we miss the whole essence of being a ‘human’. Failures are not all quite bad for your self esteem. And I will certainly never get flatter abs if I don’t take care of my self –esteem problems first!.

I have come to realize now that the only and truly Self Help book I can rely on is the Bible which I already have. It has the real ‘blue print’ how to live a life to the fullest, becoming a better person and attaining true knowledge and wisdom.

While writing this blog, It just dawned on me that it is only through reading the bible that helped me get through the darkest days of my life – and to truly ’help’ myself.

So the next Self Help Book and a NY Times Best Seller that comes out in bookstores, I’m gonna say ‘pass’ this time.

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About Me

My name is Lorraine Edralin. I am an interior and event designer, a mother of 2 ( Vincent, 10 and Austria, 6 ) and married to Moses, a wonderful and spiritual man. This is a blog about my journey through life dealing with trauma, alcohol addiction, bipolar disorder, raising a child with autism and embracing the life changing lessons and finding healing, hope and peace with God. I'm also sharing my love for design, my life interests and my passion for philanthropy. Sometimes life doesn't cooperate and our challenges can be crazy, but I still believe that LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!!! Let's explore this journey !

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